


It's All My Fault

by icegirl99



Series: You Love Him [18]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 13:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21302951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icegirl99/pseuds/icegirl99
Summary: Papa enlists Omega's help to take Copia to the infirmary. Papa and Omega share a moment while Copia is being treated.
Relationships: Cardinal Copia/Papa Emeritus III
Series: You Love Him [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1517051
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	It's All My Fault

**Author's Note:**

> Was going to hold onto this longer but you guys are just so nice to me that I couldn't keep you waiting.

Papa was pacing. Copia watched him move rapidly back and forth from the end of the bed to the doorway and back again. He wasn't looking at Copia, eyes fixed to the floor. The Cardinal was still in bed, although sitting up now. The pain in his chest had subsided but he still felt his heart racing. The feeling was unnerving by itself without the added anxiety of watching Papa pace around the room. 

The Pope hadn't said a word since telling Copia that they needed to return to the infirmary. But he also hadn't made a move to leave either. 

"Papa?" Copia whispered tentatively. Papa looked at him with wide eyes but continued to pace. Copia saw a mixture of emotions in those beautiful mismatched eyes, fear and worry mostly, but there was also something else. The Pope looked like he was extremely sorry for something. He began to mutter angrily to himself. 

The apologetic look on Papa's face worried the Cardinal even more. The Ativan still held its effect on him so he was able to stay slightly calm, otherwise he would be hysterical. He decided that he couldn't take it anymore. 

Copia tossed the blankets aside and climbed out of the bed. The act of standing made him slightly lightheaded and he stumbled forward. "Alessandro," Copia said once he regained his balance. "Stop this. You are scaring me." 

The Pope turned to him then, a pained look on his face. "I thought I asked you to stay in bed," he whispered and reached out to the Cardinal. 

"I am scared, Papa," Copia said. "I need to be near you but you won't tell me what's happening to me." 

Papa led him back to the bed. "Sit, Andrea," he said. "You shouldn't be standing right now. It won't help." The Pope wiped away his tears and took a breath. "I did not lie to you when I said I don't know what is causing your fast heart rate. I just know that whatever it is, it is serious." 

"Am I going to be okay?" Copia was still crying. 

"I hope so," Papa muttered and his tears came back. He swallowed hard and continued. "I called Omega," he said. "I need to get you down to the infirmary as soon as he gets here. I do not want you walking and I'm afraid I cannot carry you that far by myself." The Cardinal was sobbing now and Papa felt Copia lean up against him weakly. "Andrea, you need to tell me right away if you feel any chest pain, shortness of breath, or like you may faint." 

Copia nodded. "I feel tired and weak, Alessandro," he whispered. Papa brought a hand up and felt for Copia's pulse again. There was no change and the Cardinal was now sweating. 

Papa swore under his breath and grabbed his phone. He dialed Omega's number. The Ghoul picked up right away. "Omega, I swear if you don't-" 

"Relax, Papa," the Ghoul replied. "I'm literally running up the last flight of stairs to your room now." 

Papa hit the end call button and turned to Copia. "It won't be long, Andrea," he whispered. "I'll get you help. I promise." He kissed his Cardinal's forehead lovingly. "Just try and stay awake." There was a loud knock from the other room. "I'll be right back." The Pope slowly moved away from Copia and stood up to go let Omega in. The Cardinal whimpered and fell over on the bed, unable to hold himself up. 

Papa swung the door open and hurried back to Copia's side. "Omega is here now," Papa whispered soothingly. "We will move as quickly as possible." He turned to the Ghoul hovering nervously near the door. "You can pick him up now. I'll need to hold his hand to make sure he stays awake. If you notice anything Omega, I need to know." The Pope stepped aside and the Ghoul rushed to the bed, gently scooping Copia into his arms. 

The Cardinal was conscious but just barely. He looked at Papa with heavy-lidded eyes. "Papa…" he whispered. The Pope looked back at him with his tear-filled eyes and reached out to take Copia's hand.

"I am right here, Copia," Papa replied as soothingly as he could. The Cardinal managed a half-smile before the Pope turned his attention back to the Ghoul. "Let's go Omega. I have already wasted too much time." 

~*~

Papa was pacing again. He was in the waiting room just outside the emergency department of the infirmary. Omega sat in the chair opposite him, watching him worriedly. "They should not have made me come out here," Papa was ranting. "I am the Papa of this church and I outrank them. They cannot make me stay out here. My highest ranking Cardinal is extremely ill and I am stuck in this fucking waiting room." 

"Then go back there," Omega said. "If you truly don't want to be out here, go back there and see him." 

"They will try and throw me out again," Papa sighed, he wasn't looking at the Ghoul, instead he was staring at the floor as he continued to walk back and forth. 

"I know you know this, Papa, but you should just sit down and wait. Cardinal Copia is in good hands," Omega said. It was an attempt to reassure the Pope. Omega wasn't sure it would work. "You're agitated," the Ghoul continued. "Sit down before you wear yourself out." 

Papa stopped and glared at Omega for a moment. "Fine," Papa muttered and flopped himself down into the chair beside the Ghoul. He tapped his foot on the floor frustratingly. Omega reached out and placed a hand on the Pope's thigh, stopping his movements. 

Once Papa had relaxed slightly, the Ghoul laid his arm over Papa's shoulders. The Pope eyed Omega. "Why are you still here?" he muttered but was grateful for the comfort. 

"You need me here," the Ghoul replied simply. 

"I am fine, Omega," Papa said, shifting his legs and sighing in frustration. 

"If you don't want me here, I will leave," the Ghoul said. "I know you do though. I know you love him." Papa didn't say anything. Of course Omega would have figured it out. In his distress, the Pope hadn't tried to hide it. "I see it in your eyes, Papa," Omega said. "At one time you looked at me like that." 

"And you had eyes for another," Papa whispered. "I am not going to pretend that I didn't have feelings for you, Omega. But I have moved on." 

"Of course you have, Papa," the Ghoul replied. "I have Dew. I am happy. And I can see that you are as well." 

"I won't be for long, if those damn doctors don't come out here soon," Papa groaned and tossed his head back. He hit it off the wall. 

"I'm sure it won't be much longer," Omega said. "I will stay until they say it is okay for you to go back."

The Pope rolled his sore head to the side to look at the Ghoul. "Isn't Dew going to wonder where his husband went?" 

"I informed him that I needed to go tend to an urgent matter. He knows that it was you that called, but not why."

Papa nodded. "You may tell him if he wishes to know," he said. "I trust you both enough to keep this information to yourselves."

"Yes, Papa," Omega replied. 

A few minutes later the doors to the emergency room opened and the doctor that had been treating Copia came over to Papa. The Pope stood up quickly. "Where is Andrea?" Papa demanded. 

"Cardinal Copia is resting, Papa," the doctor said calmly. "He is stable and conscious, but we were mostly unsuccessful in our attempt to get his heart rate back to normal. We administered IV chemical cardioversion. It is a drug that-"

"Yes, yes. I know what that does. It resets the heart," Papa snapped. He needed to know if his Cardinal was going to be alright. 

"Papa," Omega said in a bit of firm tone. He was trying to get the Pope to calm down. "Don't speak to the doctor like that." The Ghoul stood and wrapped his arms around him, giving Papa a gentle comforting squeeze. 

"Save your breath, Omega," Papa muttered but there was no real force behind it as he found comfort in the feel of the Ghoul's warm body pressed against his. 

"The cardioversion seems to be taking a while to take effect," the doctor continued. "Did Cardinal Copia take anything before you brought him down here? Any medications? Whether prescribed or not?" 

"Ativan," Papa said miserably. 

"I see," the doctor replied. "Is this the first time that the Cardinal has taken this medication?"

"Yes," Papa said, he was getting agitated again. He shrugged Omega away. The Ghoul let Papa go but kept a hand resting on the Pope's lower back. "But that should have nothing to do with this." 

The doctor shook his head. "Tachycardia is a rare adverse side effect of Ativan. I have only ever heard of this happening. I have not treated a patient who had suffered from it until now." 

Omega watched as Papa's expression changed. His face went from agitated and angry to horror and pain. "I did this," Papa muttered and he turned, burying his face into the Ghoul's chest. 

"What do you mean?" Omega asked him as Papa uncontrollably sobbed into his black jacket.

"I convinced Andrea to try them for his anxiety," Papa cried. Omega wrapped his arms around the Pope once more.

"Papa, you couldn't have known that this would happen," Omega said softly. He looked at the doctor still standing in front of them. "Right?"

"That is correct, Ghoul," the doctor replied. "It is a very rare side effect, Papa. You could not have known." 

There were a few moments of silence, save for Papa's sobbing, before the doctor spoke again. "We wish to observe Cardinal Copia for an additional four hours to ensure that his heart rate returns to normal. You may see him when you are ready." The doctor turned and walked back through the doors. 

Omega stood there holding the distressed Pope. "Do you want to go be with him, Papa?" Omega asked. 

"I want to be alone," Papa whispered but made no move to do so. 

"But you are not alone. I am here," the Ghoul replied. 

"Stating the obvious, are we?" Papa muttered and Omega laughed. "Just hold me, Omega," Papa sighed. 

The Pope felt Omega lift him up into his arms and carry him back over to the chairs. He sat with Papa in his lap. The Pope wrapped his arms around Omega's neck and continued to cry into the Ghoul's chest until he couldn’t cry anymore.

It was a long while before Papa finally lifted his head from Omega's soaked shoulder and climbed off his lap. "I am ready to see Andrea now," Papa said. "Thank you Omega." The Pope leaned over and gave the Ghoul a quick peck on the cheek before heading back through the double doors to find his Cardinal. 

He asked the nurse where to find Copia and she sent him in the direction of the observation beds. They weren't private rooms but at least they had a curtain and there was no one in the adjacent beds. 

The Cardinal smiled when Papa approached his bedside. "Where were you, Alessandro?" Copia asked quietly. "I've been here for quite a while." 

"I'm sorry," Papa said as he pulled a chair as close to the side of the bed as he could. He leaned down and kissed his Cardinal gently. "I needed some time. I didn't want you to see me in the emotional state I was in." Papa took Copia's hand and held it. He glanced at the heart monitor on the other side of the bed. The Cardinal’s heart rate was down into the 140s, still high, but not enough to worry over excessively. His oxygen levels were normal and his blood pressure was as well. Papa sighed in relief and put his down on the edge of the bed. 

"You look like you need sleep, Papa," Copia muttered. 

"I do," the Pope admitted. "But I will stay here with you, dear Copia. I have been away from you long enough." Papa groaned and lifted his head. "The doctor spoke with you, yes?"

The Cardinal nodded and looked away. "I do not want any more medication," he whispered.

"I will not push you anymore, Andrea, you have my word," Papa said sincerely but he sounded distressed when he spoke again. "This is my fault. I am so sorry."

"Do not apologize Alessandro," Copia said. "If you want to blame yourself, you'll have to blame me as well. I consented to the treatment." 

"Why are you so calm?" Papa asked quietly. "Usually this is the other way around." 

"While you were crying it out in the waiting room with Omega..." Papa's eyes went wide and he looked slightly embarrassed. "I understand Papa, trust me. It's okay," Copia said. "My nurse sat with me until I stabilized. She told me that she suffers from anxiety as well and taught me a few things." He reached out and ran a hand through Papa's hair. "I am okay for now, Alessandro." 

Papa smiled and leaned in to kiss him again. "I am glad," the Pope said when he pulled away. "I was extremely worried. I love you too much to lose you, sweet Copia."

"I know," Copia whispered. "I love you too Papa." He pulled Papa down for another kiss. "I wish this bed was bigger," the Cardinal sighed when Papa sat back down. 

"It is okay," the Pope said and smiled slightly. "I can sleep in the chair." 

"I wish you wouldn't," Copia muttered. 

"I cannot share this bed with you, dear Cardinal," Papa replied, apologetically. "It is small for a reason." 

Copia nodded and pulled their joined hands towards his chest. It was the best he could have for now. "I would like to sleep Alessandro," he whispered. 

"Then sleep, sweet Copia," Papa said, using his other hand to pet down his Cardinal's cheek.

Copia smiled sleepily at him. "Okay, Papa," he said and closed his eyes. 

The Pope put his head down the bed and prayed that he would fall asleep as well.


End file.
